Machine for putting out hides or skins.



No. 767,451. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904.

I R. W. STROUT. MACHINE FOR PUTTING OUT HIDES 0R SKINS.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.31, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor 1 a m... 107W Aiiy.

No. 767.451. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. R. W. STROUT.

MACHINE FOR PUTTING OUT HIDES OR SKINS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT.31.1903.

N9 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2v Wiincssc Inventor gwz a. 780mm f/ m 64 MM Aify,

No. 767,451. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. R. W. STROUT.

MACHINE FOR PUTTING OUT HIDES 0R SKINS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31, 1903.

B SHEETS-SHEET 3.

NO MODEL.

I e .s '6 h) of,

I n veil tor nttncsseg I v W 41%. W Wm UNITED STATES Patented August 16, 1904:.

PATENT CEETQE.

ROBERT IV. STROUT, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO VAUGHN MACHINE COMPANY OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CCRPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

MACHINE FOR'PUTTING OUT HIDES OR SKINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 767,451, dated August 16, 1904.

Application filed October 31, 1903. Serial No. 179,308. (No model.)

To 11]] whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ronnn'r IV. Srnou'r, a citizen of the United States, residing in Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massa- 5 chusetts, have invented an Improvement in Machines for Putting Out Hides or Skins, of

which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings I representing like parts.

This invention relates to a machine for treating hides, skins, and leather, and one which is especially adapted, among other uses, for putting out hides and skins.

The invention has for its object to provide a machine for the purpose specified which is simple, inexpensive to build and maintain, and highly efficient in operation.

In accordance with this invention the machine is provided with a treadle mechanism having an increased range of movement, by means of which additional pressure of the operating-tools on the hide or skin may be obtained and which is automatically brought into operative position with relation to the .workman by the table or work-support, as will be described.

The invention further consists in providing a cushioning device for the table or worksupport on its downward movement.

Another feature of the invention consists in providing a novel construction of automatic stop for the table or work-support on its upward movement.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out. in the claims atthe end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation, with parts broken away, of a machine embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 looking toward the left; Fig. 3, a detail to be referred to; Fig. 4, a vertical section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1, looking toward the right, one of the bladed cylinders being omitted; and Fig. 5, a detail to be referred to. r

The machine herein shown as embodying this invention is especially adapted for putting out hides and skins and will be hereinafter described as a putting-out machine.

Referring to the drawings, (5 represents a vertically-movable table or work-support of any suitable or usual construction which is suitably connected at itsopposite sides to link chains 6, passed over sprocket-wheels 0, fast on a hoisting-shaft (Z, supported in the uprights or side frames 0 f, erected upon a base 1. The link chains 7) pass about guide-wheels or sheaves h, fast on a shaft 71, supported by the side frames 6 f near the base 9. The table a is moved vertically upward by power and may descend by gravity, as in' the present instance, it moving in suitable guidcways on the .inner side of the uprights 0 The movement of the table a is controlled by a clutch lever 76, pivoted to a bracket Z, attached to the side frame a and provided with an operating-handle m. The lever Z; engages a cone, sleeve, or hub a, forming one part or member of a clutch mechanism, the cooperat ing member of which is shown as levers or dogs 0, (see Fig. 2,) pivoted to the spokes or arms p of a wheel q, whose rim is split at substantially diametrically opposite points and each part of which is provided with an inwardly-projecting lug 7, which is engaged by one of the levers or dogs 0. The wheel 9 is provided with a hub s, which is keyed to the shaft (Z. The split or expansible wheel (1 cooperates with an annular flange or ring 7, attached, as by screws 8, to one side of a sprocket-wheel 9, loose on the shaft (Z and retained thereon, as herein shown, by collars 10, fast on said shaft. The sprocket 9, as herein shown, is connected by a link chain 12 with a sprocket-wheel 13, fast on a shaft 14, supported in bearings in the side frame 0 and in an upright 15, erected upon the base 9, the shaft 14 being driven from a main shaft 16 by a gear 17 on the main shaft meshing with a gear 18 on the counter-shaft 14, the main shaft having, as shown, fast and loose pulleys 19 20. The link chain 12 engages, as herein shown, an idler sprocketwheel 21, having bearings in arms 22, fastened on a rod 23, supported by the side frame 0 and the upright 15. It will thus be seen that the sprocketwheel 9 may be driven con tinuously in one direction, and when it is desired to elevate the table the cone )2 is moved on the hub s, so as to engage the pivoted dogs or levers o and expand the split wheel 1 into frictional engagementwith the ring or flange 7 on the sprocket 9, thereby rendering the said sprocket'wheel fast on the shaft and rotating the latter so as to elevate the table or work-support (.1.

Provision is made for auton'iatically unclutching the sprocket-wheel 9 from the shaft 1! when the table has reached a predetermined point. To this end the clutch-leverlhas connected to it one end of a link 30, having its opposite end joined to one arm. 31, of an elbow-lever 32, pivoted at 33 to a bracket 3 L, Fig. 2, which is fastened to the side frame/z, the other arm, 35, of said elbow-lever being extended into the path of movement of the table (I, so as to be engaged by a lug 130 thereon (see Figs. 1 and 4) when the said table reaches a predetermined point on its upward movement.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that if for any reason the table continues to be moved upward after the lug 130 engages the arm 35 the elbow-lever 32 will be turned on its pivot and the arm 31 moved outward or toward the right, viewing Fig. 1, thereby, through the link 30, turning the lever fir on its pivot, so as to withdraw the cone w "from engagement with the dogs or levers 0, thus rendering the sprocket-wheel 9 loose on the hoisting-shaft and arresting the upward movement of the table, which latter is then tree to return by gravity to its lower or starting position. Provision is made for cushioning the table when it reaches substantially the end of its downward movement, and to this end one or more butlers are provided on the base 1 in the path of movement of the table, which bulier may be made as herein shown and consists of a rod -10, provided with a collar or disk il, which is preferaliily screw-threaded on its interior to engage a threaded portion 42 of the said rod and which is encircled by a helical spring 43, located within a cylinder or tube 14, erected upon the base the said rod extendingdown through the said base. The spring at?) acts on the disk or collar a1 to project the rod 40 above the cylinder or tube 44, so that when the table approaches its lowermost position it will engage said rod and compress the spring, thereby cushioning the table and relieving the lifting-chains and other parts of the apparatus from shock due to a sudden stoppage 01' the table in its downward movement.

The vertically-movable table or work-support a has cooperating with it o1' erating-tools which are located on opposite sides of the path of movement of the table and which may be bladed cylinders or rolls 50, each of which 5 is mounted in swing-arms or hangers 51, piv

oted on a rod or shalt 52, supported by the side frames of the machine, the lower ends of the hai'igers 51, being lastcned or connected to a tie-rod 53. The tie-rods 53 have mounted on them at each end toggle-levers 5i (see Fig. 2,) having their center pivot 56 connected by a link 57, which may be extensible or adjustable by the turnbuckle to a crank or arm 59 on the shaft 1', having fast to ita'lioot treadle or lever 61 and an arm 62, provided with a c(, unterweight 63, which latter normally rocks the shaft. i, so as to elevate the links 57 and move the bladed cylinders away from the path of movement of the table.

One of the features oi the present invention consists in providing for increasing the pressure of the bladed cylinders on the hide or skin carried by the table (1. without materially changing the position of the toot-treadle in its operative position with relation to the workman, so that the latter can stand on the lloor and by placing his foot on the treadle can engage the bladed cylinders or rolls with the hide or skin with an increased pressure. This result may be accomplished by making the toot-treadle substantially long, so as to obtain increased leverage, and providing for a partial movement of the foot-treadle from its elevated position toward its depressed position. it will be evident that it the foot treadle or lever is made long its free end will be elevated to a position above that in which it is convenient for the operator to place his toot on the treadle while standing on the floor. To enable the long leverage to be obtained by making the foot-treadle of increased length and yet permit the operator to conveniently apply the 't'ootn-essure while standing on the floor, the treadle-shaft vi has connected with it, near its opposite ends, two cams, (herein shown as curved arms or bars 65,) which may be secured, as by screws 66, (see Fig. 3,) to the guide-sheaves 72. The cams or bars 65 extend upward and are suitably shaped to project into the path of movement of the table when the latter is in its elevated position, so that the table may engage said cams on its descent and turn the treadle-shaft so as to lower (represented by dotted lines, Fig. into its full-line position within easy reach of the foot oi the operator. The cams or bars (35 resist the downward movement oil the table, and thereby act to cushion the table.

it will be understood that the toot-treadle is depressed still t'arther by the operator to bring the knite-eylimlers into engagement with the hide or skin on the table, and by reason of the increased length of the foottreadle the said operating tools or cylinders may be engaged with the hide or skin with increased u'essure, thereby enabling the hide or skin to be more eli'ectively put out or otherwise treated. The bladed cylinders 50 l are rotated, as herein shown, by link chains the foot-treadle from its elevated position- ITO 71, (see Fig. 2,) which are passed over sprocket-wheels 72 7 3 on the shafts 7 1 75 of the said cylinders and about sprocket-wheels 76 77 (see Fig. 1) on the shafts 14 16. The link chains 70 71 may have their slack taken up by idler sprocket-wheels 8O 81, the wheel 80 being mounted in arms 82 on the rod 23 and the wheel 81 being mounted in arms 84 on a rod 85, supported by the side frame 6 and the upright 15. The operation of the machine herein shown may be briefly d escribed as follows: The operator places a hide or skin over the upper edge of the table-a when the latter is in its lowered position. (Shown in Fig. 1.) The table is then set in motion by moving the handle m, attached to the lever k, toward the left, viewing Fig. 1, so as to cause the cone n to render the sprocket-wheel 9 fast on the shaft (Z, as above described, thereby rotating the same so as to lift the table a. On the upward movement of the table the operator depresses the foot-treadle 61 to bring the bladed cylinder 50 into engagement with the hide or skin which is put out or otherwise treated by the same. WVhen the hide or skin has passed beyond the operating-cylinders, the operator removes the pressure from the treadle 61 and throws the handle on so as to disengage the cone from the friction-clutch, and thereby render the sprocket-wheel 9 loose on the shaft (Z. When the pressure is removed from the treadle, it is moved into its uppermost or elevated position by the counterweight. The table descends and as it approaches its lowered position it engages the cams 65 and lowers the foot-treadle into what may be termed its operative position. The table is cushioned prior to reaching its starting position by the resistance of the cams or bars 65 and by the cushioning device above described. If for any reason the table should be lifted beyond a predetermined point, the lug 130 will engage the arm 35 of the elbowlever or stopping device 32 and automatically disconnect thepower from the hoisting-shaft (Z, as above described. The descent of the table may be retarded by the operator moving the lever Z; so as to cause the cone n to engage the clutch-wheel q with the ring 7 on the sprocket-wheel 9 with sufficient friction to check the table on its descent.

It will be observed that the operating-tools are connected with the rock-shaft i and are opened wide to afford ample room for the descent of the table without striking the said tools and that said tools are automatically moved toward the path of movement of the table by the latter, so that the said tools are required to be moved by the operator but a substantially short distance in order to engage the work on the table.

I have herein described the foot-treadle as of increased length to obtain the increased pressure of the operating-tools; but I do not desire to limit my invention to this particular manner of obtaining the increased leverage.

' I claim 1. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a vertically-movable work support or table, means to lift it, operatingtools located on opposite sides of the path of movement of said table, a foot-treadle, mechanism connecting said operating-tools with said foot-treadle, and means connected with said foot-treadle and operated by said table on its downward movement to automatically lower said foot-treadle, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a vertically-movable worksupport, means to move it, an operating-tool movable toward and from said work-support, a lever for moving said operating-tool, and means acted upon by said work-support on its downward movement for moving said lever, and for effecting movement of said tool toward the path of movement of said Work-support, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a vertically-movable table or work-support, means to move it, operatingtools located on opposite sides of the path of movement of said table, a rock-shaft, mechanism for connecting said rock-shaft with said operating-tools, a foot-treadle attached to said rock-shaft, and a cam bar or arm connected with said rock-shaft and projected into the path of movement of said table to be engaged thereby and rock said shaft to lower said foottreadle, substantially as described.

1. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a vertically-movable worksupport or table, means to move it, an operating-tool cooperating with said work-support, a rock-shaft, a treadle connected with said rock-shaft, and a device connected with said rock-shaft and acted upon by the work-support on its downward movement to rock said shaft and move said treadle, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a movable work-support, a treadle having its free end movable in a sub- 'stantially long are, and means connected with said treadle and acted upon by said work-support on its downward movement to move the free end of said treadle from its elevated position through a portion of the arc traversed by it into its lowered position, for the purpose specified.

6. In a machine of the character described, in combination a vertically-movable table or work-support, a rotatable counter-shaft, means connecting said counter-shaft with said table to effect the elevation of the table by rotation of said shaft, a sprocket-wheel normally loose on said counter shaft, a driving shaft, a sprocket-wheel on said driving-shaft, a link chain connecting said sprocket-wheels, a clutch mechanism to render the sprocket-wheel fast on the counter-shaft which lifts the table, a lever to operate said clutch mechanism, and a device connected to said lever and projected into the path of movement of said table to be engaged thereby when said table reaches a predetermined point in its upward movement, for the purpose specified.

7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a vertically-movable table or work-support, a rotatable counter-shaft located above said table, lifting means connecting said table with said shaft, a driving-shaft, mechanism connecting said driving-shaft with said counter-shaft, said mechanism including a rotatable device normally loose on said. counter-shaft and a clutch mechanism to render said device fast on said counter-shaft, a lever to actuate said clutch mechanism, and means connected with said clutch-lever and projected into the path of movement of said table to be engaged by said table when the latter reaches a predetermined point in its upward movement, substantially as described.

8. In amachine of the character described, in combination, a vertically-movable table, means to move it, a foot-treadle, a rock-shaft to which said treadle is attached, and a pivoted arm attached to said treadle-shaft and cooperating with the table on its downward movement to be moved away from the path of movement of said table, for the purpose specified.

9. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a vertically-movable worl support, operating-tools located on opposite sides of the path of movement of said worksupport, means for moving said tools away "from the path of movement of said work-support, and a device actuated by said w0rl(support on its downward movement for automatically moving said tools toward the path of movement of said work-support, for the purpose specified.

10. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a movable worlvsupport, an operating tool cooperating therewith and movable toward and from said work-support, and means operatively connected with said operating-tool and actuated by said work-support for automatically moving said operatingtool toward the path of movement of said work-support, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT WV. STROUT.

lVitnesses JAs. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY. 

